‘How Ombatse killed 73 security personnel at Lakyo’

How many security operatives were killed by the Ombatse militia group at Lakyo village in Nasarawa State on May 7?

Seventy-three security personnel comprising 63 policemen and 10 State Security Service (SSS) operatives died in the attack, it was revealed yesterday.

Twenty-eight security operatives were said to have survived the ambush.

This revelation was contained in the memorandum of the Nasarawa State Police Command, which was read before the Judicial Commission of Enquiry probing the incident in Lafia.

The report of the police, said to have been signed by the Nasarawa State Commissioner of Police (CP), was presented in “camera”.

According to our source, the submission was said to have been read by Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Sam Ewa, who represented the CP.

Of the 73 security personnel, who died, five were said to have been burnt beyond recognition.

It was learnt that the decision to deploy the security personnel in the village was taken and approved by the Nasarawa State Security Council.

It comprises the governor, Secretary to the State Government (SSG), heads of security agencies, key traditional rulers, among others.

It was further learnt that the mission of the security agencies was to seal off the Baba Lakyo shrine.

This, it was learnt, followed “intelligence report” said to have been at the disposal of the state government that the Ombatse militia group was allegedly carrying out “criminal activities and occult acts” there.

It was also learnt that the mission was a joint operation of the conventional police, SSS, Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) and a detachment of anti-riot policemen drawn from the Tiger Squadron 38 of the Mobile Police based at Akwanga.

Another source described the 15- page report by the police as “very scanty.”

The questions reportedly posed to the police witnesses were said to have either been parried or declined, citing “security reasons.”

The source said besides the list of names of those who died in the attack and names of the 28 survivors, the report did not disclose how the mission was planned and executed.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Nelson Igbinoba, said to have been one of the survivors of the ambush, was reported to have testified before the commission.

He was said to have claimed that he could not shoot during the attack because his gun “hooked.”

Igbinoba was said to have claimed that he dispossessed one of the Ombatse militia of his machete with which he fought his way through.

Of the 28 security personnel, who allegedly survived the attack, Igbinoba was quoted by our source to have helped rescued seven.

He was also quoted as saying that he was assigned to go on the mission by his boss, the Officer in Charge (OC) of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Nasarawa State Police Command.

Earlier, the commission had barred the media from covering the presentation of the police report.

Chairman of the commission, Justice Joseph Fola Gbadeyan, described the report as sensitive.

The commission decided to hear the report, tagged: “Security memo” in camera following an application by the Officer in Charge (OC) of the Legal Services in the Nasarawa State Police Command, Superintendent of Police (SP) Saleh Adam Maidawa.

Maidawa urged the panel not to allow the proceedings to be aired live during the presentation of the police memorandum.

He said the application became necessary in view of the fact that investigation into the incident at Lakyo village where over 50 security personnel were said to have been killed has not been concluded.

Maidawa said: “I wish to apply that the proceedings of the police should not be aired for security reasons.

“It should not be aired live for security reasons. This is in view of the fact that investigations into the incident have not been concluded. It is ongoing and the fact that any live telecast of this session will jeopardise the investigation.”

At that point Justice Gbadeyan asked whether all the lawyers present at the panel’s sitting have read the police memorandum and they said no.

He said: “I hope all members of the bar interested in this memorandum have read the memorandum. When we said the memoranda should not be circulated, that is not to mean that the counsel should not be allowed to read the memoranda. But we said the memoranda should be made available for every member at the bar to read at the secretariat.”

At that juncture, counsel to the commission, Mrs. Funso Lawal, said: “In the circumstance and in the interest of justice, I don’t know whether the memorandum can be stand down for the counsel to read it from the secretary to the commission?

“The instruction was for the counsel to approach the secretary and it would have been made available. Even those who wrote to have access to it did not go to the secretariat. So it was not the fault of the commission.

“The memorandum has been available with the secretary for all counsel to have access. It is circulation that was restricted not to the counsel.”

Gbedeyan, granting the request of the police, said: “Will one hour be enough for you (lawyers) to read the police memorandum?

“Please and please, don’t photocopy the memorandum. The security memoranda are sensitive – that of the police, the SSS and the state government.

“We will give you (lawyers) one hour 30 minutes, so you can read the memorandum, then we will come back at 2pm for the presentation of the memorandum and cross-examination.

“At that time; the public, we will meet you some other time. We want you to excuse us so that we can take the memorandum in camera.”

The chairman of the commission adjourned proceedings for one and a half hours to enable the counsel representing other interested parties study and make notes to aid them during cross-examination.

The commission had earlier embargoed the three memoranda that it termed “sensitive security documents.”

The chairman ordered that the three memoranda should not be circulated “to the public” due to their security implication for the state.

The chairman advised lawyers, who sought copies, to meet the secretary of the commission, who will give them copies of the memoranda to “read and jot” necessary points.

He ordered that no photocopy should be made of the memoranda.

Lawyers yesterday read the police report and took notes under the close watch of the commission’s workers, who were detailed to ensure that none of the documents left the courtroom.

Justice Gbadeyan ordered reporters out of the court, saying the three security reports would be taken in camera.

He said: “The proceedings will be in camera. We appreciate the contributions and cooperation of the press.

“For this particular police memorandum, that of the State Security Service (SSS) and the state government, there shall be no live coverage or broadcast. So, they should kindly excuse us.”

Following this ruling, the security agents providing security at the court ordered the reporters of Channels Television, Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Daily Trust, Precious FM, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN and the Nasarawa State Broadcasting Service (both radio and television) out of the court.

Besides the other media covering the proceedings of the panel, the Nasarawa State Broadcasting Service (NBS), which has been transmitting the proceedings of the commission live since its inaugural session on July 18, also removed its outside broadcast van from the premises following the directive.